Princess Paopuko
by ElegantButler
Summary: When Riku is unable to put his feelings for Sora into words, his wish creates a child who is the embodiment of those feelings.
1. Chapter 1

PRINCESS PAOPUKO by Axel Ingleson -Chapter One-

Riku was sitting on the curved trunk of the paopu tree that grew on his little island.  
Ever since he had got his original form back, he had wished for a way to show Sora how he felt about him.

As he made the wish under the midnight sky, a shooting star passed overhead.

A second later, a little girl of about seven was sitting in the tree beside him. She had pale lilac hair like his own, but it fell down to her waist. And her eyes were big and blue like Sora's. She was wearing a pink princess dress with a white pinafore and white shoes.

"Papa?" she asked.

Riku was so surprised he almost fell out of the tree. He looked at her closely and saw that she was a cross between him and Sora.

"Papa? What's my name?"

Riku considered for a moment, then replied. "Well, you were born at the age of seven on the trunk of a paopu tree. So... I'll name you Paopuko."

"I like that," Paopuko grinned.

"Where did you come from, Paopuko?" Riku asked her.

"From your feelings for Sora," Paopuko replied. "I'm the embodiment of your feelings of love, loyalty, and friendship."

"You're pretty smart, kid," Riku told her.

"I get that from my Papa," Paopuko beamed proudly.

Sora woke the next morning. He couldn't wait to see Riku. Rushing through breakfast, he hurried out to the island to see his dearest friend.

When he got there, he was surprised to see Riku sitting in his favorite tree with a seven year old girl.

Riku waved to Sora.

"That's your daddy," he told the girl.

"Huh?" Sora blinked.

"Sora, come here!" Riku called. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Sora joined Riku and the girl.

"She looks just like you," he told Riku. "Is she your cousin?"

"She's our daughter, Sora," Riku explained. "Her name is Paopuko."

"How can we have a daughter?" Sora wondered.

"I made a wish," Riku explained. "I wished that there was some way I could show you how I felt about you. And when I opened my eyes, she was sitting next to me."

Sora looked closely at the girl who smiled and laughed as she hugged him.

Kairi joined them a few minutes later.

"Riku! Sora!" She called to them as she reached the mini-island. "Oh, hello," she added, cheerfully, as she noticed Paopuko.

"Hi," Paopuko replied. "I'm Paopuko. You must be Kairi. Papa told me all about you. He said that you're really pretty and that you and Daddy are his best friends in the whole world."

"Your Papa?" Kairi asked, wondering who she knew who was old enough to be this girl's father.

"Riku!" Paopuko told her. "Riku's my Papa and Sora's my Daddy. Papa wished he could show Daddy how much he cared for him, and his wish made me."

Kairi smiled. "Riku," she said, softly. "I never knew you loved Sora so much." 


	2. Chapter 2

PRINCESS PAOPUKO By Axel Ingleson -Chapter Two-

King Mickey ran into Yen Sid▓s tower.

He had been summoned there shortly beforehand and was wondering why his old teacher had called him. Surely the Heartless and the Nobodies hadn▓t come back! Had they?

⌠Welcome, old pupil,■ Yen Sid said, graciously. ⌠It▓s good to see you again. I▓ve summoned you because a new Princess of Heart has been born.■

⌠A new Princess?■ King Mickey asked. ⌠Where?■

⌠On Destiny Islands,■ Yen Sid replied. ⌠Her name is Paopuko. She is the daughter of Riku and Sora. Riku▓s wish made her. He wanted to show Sora his feelings of love, loyalty, and friendship for him.■

⌠The daughter of Sora and Riku,■ King Mickey mused in awe. ⌠The newest Princess of Heart.■ A dark look crossed his face. ⌠She▓ll face many challenges.■

⌠Indeed. But she may be the one we seek. Especially now that he has returned.■

Seeing the look of confusion on King Mickey▓s face, Yen Sid explained.

⌠The Flame has reawakened,■ he told Mickey, ⌠to what purpose or in what form, I do not yet know. But you need to warn Sora.■

Mickey nodded and set off to tell Sora what he knew, and to meet Princess Paopuko.

Paopuko was swimming happily in the water while Sora and Riku watched her from the shore. She was, unsurprisingly, as good a swimmer as Riku and Sora had ever been.

As soon as she saw the train approach on its magical tracks, which appeared from nowhere, she got out of the water. She smiled when she saw the mouse-king step off the train.

⌠Hello,■ he said, ⌠Name▓s King Mickey.■

Paopuko smiled. ⌠I▓m Paopuko,■ she told him.

⌠Princess Paopuko,■ King Mickey confirmed. ⌠Yen Sid told me of her. He said she might be the one to help deal with the reawakened Flame.■

⌠Reawakened Flame?■ Riku asked.

Sora shrugged.

⌠Be careful,■ King Mickey told them, as he reboarded the train and returned to Disney Castle. 


	3. Chapter 3

PRINCESS PAOPUKO By Axel Ingleson -Chapter Three-

Sora was troubled as he sat at his mother▓s table at dinner.

⌠Sora?■ his mother asked. ⌠What▓s the matter?■

⌠I have a daughter,■ Sora told her. Then, seeing the look on her face, he quickly added. ⌠Riku▓s her Papa. He wished for a way to show me how he felt, and she just appeared.■

Sora▓s mother smiled. ⌠I see,■ she said. ⌠So, when do I get to meet your little girl?■

⌠I▓ll have Riku bring her over tomorrow.■ Sora promised.

In the middle of town, the following afternoon, a small portal opened and a boy of about seven years stepped out. He had deep green eyes and flame red hair. Beneath his eyes were two marks, like upside-down tears. He looked around in confusion, then at himself in a store window as if looking for an explanation as to why everything looked out of place.

Seeing that he was much shorter, and a bit younger than he had been before, he shrugged. Then, the fullness of his situation struck him. He raised his head to the sky and gave out a loud wail as he began to cry.

Several people turned to look at the boy, whom they took for a lost child, which is what he was.  
What they had no idea of was just how lost the boy actually was.

It was Sora▓s mother, shopping for dinner with her new granddaughter, who actually walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

⌠Shh,■ she soothed, ⌠don▓t cry. You▓ll be okay. What▓s your name?■

The boy shook his head, silently, biting his fingernails nervously.

⌠It▓s okay if you can▓t tell me,■ she told him. ⌠We▓ll wait until you▓re ready.■

⌠Gramma,■ Paopuko asked. ⌠Who▓s this?■

⌠He▓s a little boy who▓s lost,■ Sora▓s mother told him. ⌠We▓re going to look after him until we find his parents.■

⌠Can I play with him?■ Paopuko asked.

⌠Sure,■ her grandmother decided. ⌠Do you two want to play on the island?■

Paopuko nodded.

⌠Okay,■ Sora▓s mother told them. ⌠Just be sure not to go into the water unless me or your parents are there.■ 


	4. Chapter 4

PRINCESS PAOPUKO By Axel Ingleson -Chapter Four-

Sora and Riku arrived back at Sora▓s house in time for dinner.

⌠Where▓s Paopuko?■ Sora asked.

⌠She▓s on the island with a boy we met in town.■ Sora▓s mother told them. ⌠He looked lost, so I▓m taking care of him until we find his parents.■

⌠Oh,■ Sora replied. ⌠I▓d like to meet my daughter▓s friends before she takes off with them.■

⌠I didn▓t think you▓d mind,■ his mother told him and Riku, reassuringly. ⌠He▓s just a little boy. Still, they should be back for dinner soon. Why don▓t you and Riku go and make sure they didn▓t lose track of time.■

Sora nodded, then made his way out to the island with Riku in tow.

When they got there, they found Paopuko on the shore, making a sandcastle with her new friend.

Paopuko looked up and waved, cheerfully, at her Daddy and her Papa.

⌠Daddy, Papa,■ she said, ⌠meet my friend.■

The boy with the spiky red hair looked up at Sora, timidly. A moment later, he was all smiles.

Sora, for his part, looked back down at the boy wondering where he▓d seen him before. As he spotted the teardrop marks beneath his eyes, he suddenly realized where.

⌠Axel!■ He gasped. ⌠Of course! That▓s what they meant when they said the Flame had reawakened.■

⌠Flame?■ Axel asked. ⌠I▓m a flame? How come? Is it ▒cause my hair▓s red?■

⌠You used to do magic with fire,■ Sora explained, deciding that the boy was too young to be told about how he▓d once been a fire-mage or that he▓d been a member of Organization XIII. ⌠But that was when you were alive before.■

Axel looked confused, so Riku quickly added, ⌠Don▓t worry about it. You▓ll understand it some day when you▓re older.■

⌠Okay,■ Axel smiled.

⌠Hey,■ Sora laughed, ⌠we came here to tell you both that it▓s time for dinner.■

⌠Is Axel gonna eat with us?■ Paopuko asked.

⌠You betcha,■ Sora agreed.

Paopuko smiled and raced Axel back to the house. 


	5. Chapter 5

PRINCESS PAOPUKO By Axel Ingleson -Chapter Five-

After Sora had finished dinner, he took Riku aside.

⌠Riku,■ he asked, getting down on one knee, ⌠Now that I know how strongly you feel for me, I have but one thing to ask. Will you marry me?■

⌠Sora,■ Riku gasped, ⌠I┘■

Sora looked a little down for a moment, thinking that Riku was going to say no. Had he been mistaken about Riku▓s feelings? Then what about Paopuko?

Then Riku smiled and said the word Sora had longed to hear:

⌠Yes.■

Sora, realizing he was unprepared for the moment, stood up suddenly. ⌠Wait here,■ he said, rushing into the house.

Riku smiled watching as Sora ran inside.

⌠Mom,■ Sora blurted out. ⌠I need a ring! I just asked Riku to marry me and he said yes, but I don▓t have a ring to give him!■

⌠Sora!■ Sora▓s mother laughed. ⌠Hang on. Let me see if I can find something.■

She left the room and returned a short time later with an aquamarine ring. ⌠Here,■ she said, handing it to Sora.

⌠That▓s perfect,■ Sora smiled. ⌠It matches his eyes.■

Sora ran back out to where Riku was waiting and slipped the ring, nervously, onto the lilac-haired man▓s finger.

Just then, King Mickey ran up to them.

⌠Riku! Sora! The Heartless are back!■

⌠Take Paopuko, Axel, and Sora▓s mom and find them a safe place. We▓ll handle the Heartless.■ Riku readied his keyblade as King Mickey nodded and gathered up the three people in question. 


End file.
